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Suspect Barricaded in Bellflower Apartment

A kidnapping suspect was barricaded in a Bellflower apartment with his 80-year-old mother. Robert Kovacik reports for the NBC4 News on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019. (Published Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019)

A kidnapping suspect barricaded himself overnight inside a Bellflower apartment with his 80-year-old mother -- who authorities said was taken from a care facility in Nevada with the help of a former Nevada county sheriff -- before he was arrested early Friday.

Deputies responded about 7:10 p.m. to a call for service in the 15300 block of Bellflower Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Information Bureau. Am containment area was established and the public was advised to avoid the area during the SWAT standoff.

The man, identified as Roger Hillygus, 52, is suspected of kidnapping his mother from a care facility in Reno Aug. 8 with the help of a former sheriff of Mineral County, Nevada, according to the Reno Police Department. He surrendered at about 2 a.m.

Hilygus' mother was not injured. It was not immediately clear why she was taken from the senior care center.

Man Convicted in Torture and Kidnapping Case

Hossein Nayeri was convicted in connection with a gruesome torture and kidnapping case. Vikki Vargas reports for the NBC4 News at 11 a.m. on Friday Aug. 16, 2019

(Published Friday, Aug. 16, 2019)

Mineral County is located about 150 miles southeast of Reno in a rural part of the state. The former sheriff, identified as Stewart Handte, 59, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of kidnapping a victim over 60 years old and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, Reno police said.

Authorities said they believe Hillygus and Handte went to the care residence, provided false information to the staff and left with Susan Hillygus, who suffers from dementia and is in need of 24-hour professional health care and medication.

Handte also served as police chief for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony for seven months, a tenure that ended in July, the colony said in a statement.